Weekly Newsletter

Hall of Fire this weekend: The Hobbit chapter 18

This weekend, TORn’s Hall of Fire returns to The Hobbit for the penultimate chapter of our read-through as Tolkien wraps up his tale with more poetry and pathos than one would expect in a “children’s tale.”

“Victory after all, I suppose! Well, it semms a very gloomy business.”

The Hobbit: Chapter 18: The Return Journey

The Battle of the Five Armies is over. All that remains to be tallied is the cost. We’ll explore the fate of the company: do each get what they deserve? Does Thorin truly repent his harsh words at Erebor’s gates? And is Bilbo truly changed by his deeds and adventures? Is he a hero? A survivor? Or something else?

Join us later today, Saturday October 3 at 6pm EDT (New York time) when we’ll examine all these questions and more as we discuss The Hobbit chapter 18: The Return Journey!

Upcoming discussions

Saturday October 3: The Hobbit: Chapter 18: The Return Journey

Funeral procession of Thorin by Alan Lee.

Time zone conversions

Not sure what time the chat will be where you are? Check this little conversion table out for some help. Alternatively, check our handy Event Announcer over on Time and Date for the correct time in your area.

Our chats usually last about an hour, and are very newbie friendly. Simply drop in and join the conversation! However, our main room, #theonering.net is open 24 hours a day. We don’t always talk Tolkien there, but if you have a burning question, you’ll usually find one or two of “the regulars” up for a chat!

Where — connection details

Chat happens on #thehalloffire on irc.theonering.net — the TORn IRC server. It is based on internet relay chat technology (that means it’s hella old skool). It’s a text-only, moderated chat room full of eccentric Tolkien fans. We’re open 24/7 (although some times are busier and more active than others).

There are many ways to connect to the chat server. However, the easiest is generally to use a browser-based client. We usually direct folks to Mibbit:

If you’re more oldschool or technically adept, you can install one of the scores of standalone chat clients that available for desktop and mobile devices. Just plug in our server details (see bottom) into the client and connect.

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